There is always a solution

There is always a solution for any problem, no matter the magnitude. We are taught this this principle taught at all stages in our life. I happened to witness this phenomenon three weeks back. Three weeks back, I was still waiting impatiently for spring to arrive. I was tired of wearing heavy and warm clothes to fight the never ending winter which was behaving like a prima donna. The low temperatures was sucking enthusiasm out of my system. Around this time, my friend decided to visit Paris from Dusseldorf along with two of his friends.

My friend is unique. He is a vegetarian and a teetotaler. Yes, I do have this type of individuals in my circle of friends. I have to admit they have never been able to corrupt me. His uniqueness was evident to me when I visited Dusseldorf at the end of summer last year. He took us to his favorite haunt near his house for dinner. He was so popular there. He doesn't order food. He is given a table and the food is brought to him without any questions. Sure, it does say volumes about vegetarian food in Europe too.

So, he arrives with his friends. His friends are craving spicy food. If I rule out Indian food from the spice barometer, then there is only one option left for me. The Tex-Mex restaurant Fajitas near Pont Neuf. The food is good. The spicy salsa makes the experience something to remember. Like all restaurants in Paris, this one is also small. It is very difficult to accommodate a large group even when a large group is as small as our group of five. I decided to wait. That was when my friend swung into action. The low temperature outside was not an ideal condition for waiting.

"We are okay for a table of four. Give us an extra chair", my friend said. That is a good argument. But the attendant raised another point, "It will be difficult for you to eat as the table will be covered with the dishes". My friend was quick to respond, "We are all friends. We will manage. It is okay if we poke our elbows in each other's ribs". At this point of the time, my hopes climbed up. Finally, my friend is going to get us a table. That was when the attendant dropped the final bomb. "Look at this place. It is small. We will not be able to walk around your table to serve you". I understood their dilemma. I was about to turn back and leave when I heard my friend say nicely, politely and assertively. "Don't worry. You hand over the dish to one of us. We will arrange it on the table. You just have to carry the dish to the nearest accessible person on the table. Leave the rest to us".

We were seated around a table for four with five chairs in a minute.

Tags: Musings,Solution,Problem,Winter

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